When American aid arrives in Mogadishu, Somalia, warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid steals the food stores, leaving the Somalian citizens to starve as their infrastructure crumbles like “the post-apocalyptic world of Mel Gibson’s Mad Max movies, a world ruled by roving gangs of armed thugs” (10). In response, Matt Eversmann, a 25-year-old staff sergeant, plans to lead his 12-man unit of US Army Rangers on their first mission to halt Aidid’s operations.

On October 3, 1993, Eversmann and his Rangers, known as a “Chalk Four,” plan to descend via helicopter to assist in the ambush of Aidid’s meeting with Habr Gidr clan leaders in Mogadishu. They are to cover the Delta Force as it captures its prisoners. The Delta Force men should already be ambushing the three-story target house when Chalk Four lands. There, Chalk Four will protect a group of Humvees and convoy trucks that will arrive at the target house to transport prisoners.

Eversmann and Chalk Four have drilled the tactics over a dozen times. They are a proud, elite group and are anxious to prove themselves in combat. Many hope to eventually join Delta Force, and Eversmann knows they want a “balls-out firefight” (9), as the men are eager to help shut down Aidid’s operations.